Hi everyone,
I’m sorry I didn’t get to your comments yesterday, but I read them and certainly am thrilled that you think I made the right (or the left) choice for which Kirsten to keep. My old one would have been just fine, but I really think lefty is very sweet. I was going to work on her dress set today, and I did get ONE thing done for it, but I decided if I didn’t get her legs tightened before I made her something, I might never get it done. I was curious about if she had a “shoulder tag” too that would tell me for certain when she was made. She did have one and you’ll find out below.
Many ladies have asked me to do a tutorial on how to restring the dolls using new elastic cording and the copper or brass inserts (from Lowe’s or Home Depot.) So this tutorial will be doing it that way, instead of the “Easy” way I’ve shown on here before. (HERE)
I am going to show you pictures of Kirsten getting her limbs restrung, but I’m including a video link at the bottom of this post from another lady who talks you through it. I’m not set up to do video’s just yet! :o)
Kirsten’s legs and arms were pretty floppy…
I undid the knot at the back of her neck and took her head off…
I began pulling out all the stuffing…
One limp headless dolly…
I was surprised to find that someone had tightened this doll using the pony tail holders like I showed in the tutorial above. They were wrapped around the elastic cording just below the brass inserts.
But here they are… 4 elastic pony tail holders…
You’ll want to cut the elastic on each limb with a pair of scissors.
Then pull out the white plastic cups with a pair of needle nose or regular pliers. Be careful that you don’t crack them… it takes a little bit of wiggling but they come out pretty easily.
This is what your cups will look like…
You’ll have 4 cups for the legs and 4 cups for the arms… one on each side of the knotted and crimped brass inserts.
This is what the brass inserts and elastic cording I used looks like. Some tutorials (even the one I’m recommending) use elastic pony tail holders, but I would suggest if you go to all this work, you might want to use a heavy duty elastic like the one in my picture.
In this next picture, you’ll see the order of how it’s done… knot your elastic, add a brass insert, crimp it with a crimper (your hubby might have one of these. I forgot to show a picture of it… but you’ll see it in the video.) Add your cup and push it back into the dolls limb… making sure to get the insert and elastic tucked in first.
Once it goes in, it will look like this…
The cups were a little hard to push through, but I managed to get them pretty easily pushed in on the legs. The arms, however were a little harder to manipulate. I finally took the doll and the knotted elastic, brass insert, crimped, and the cup to my bathroom and used my blow dryer just on the plastic cup. I held the blow dryer on it maybe 20 or 30 seconds. It was just enough to make it go into place much easier.
Next thread your elastic through the body leg hole…
Here is a picture of what it looks like when it’s done… you’ll add a brass insert, pull it tight, crimp it and then knot it…and then cut off the excess…
You’ll do that for both legs and both arms…
Then it’s time to start stuffing the body! YAY! Almost done!
Here is a mostly stuffed body…
LOOK! Kirsten can stand! All by herself!!!
Here is a fully stuffed front…
…and a fully stuffed behind view…
You didn’t think I had forgotten to show you that shoulder tag did you??? I was pretty excited to find one in my new Kirsten doll… Here it is partly showing…
…and here it is…
These shoulder tags were in the 2000 to 2009 dolls… so you can see the numbers 0-9 on the top…each number representing one of those years. 0= 2000, 1= 2001, etc. Kirsten has the 3 punched out so she is a 2003 doll… The bottom row is letters A-L representing the 12 months of the year. My doll has C punched out so she was from the 3rd month, March… So I have a March, 2003 doll.
Kirsten had to wait till my hubby came home to get her head put on. I couldn’t pull the neck string tight enough to get rid of the neck gap…
In fact, I worked so hard at getting the neck string tied tight, that I frayed it too much. It was already a bit frayed when I untied it.
I had some cotton cording and used it…
Here is my new girl…
How about a little backside view, Kirsten?
“Look what I can do now…and my legs don’t even touch the table!”
And that’s how you restring an American Girl doll! Not too hard, was it?
If you attempt this, I’d suggest you watch this video to see it in action…it’s only 17 minutes long…
Restringing your American Girl Doll Video
Thanks everyone,
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Thanks for the detailed explanation of how to “restring” an AG doll! My Felicity needs tightening, but I’m not sure I’m wanting to attempt that, so I may have to hire that out! If I can find someone out here….I’ve heard horror stories of dolls recently sent in to the company for this to be done, so I’m reluctant to do that.
You will be glad to know, the baby gifts are on their way to our new great-nephew, and as soon as I hear they have gotten them, I will post pictures (yes, I did take pictures of everything before I wrapped and mailed them)!
Hi Charlote
It really is scarier looking than it actually is. I’m ready to do my other Kirsten now… :o)
It must be a great feeling to have accomplished the sewing for your great nephew…yes, we want pictures!
Blessings, Jeanne
I am in awe of you, Jeanne, to be able to take a doll apart and then put her back together again! Although I have not had the need to do this, I still would be somewhat afraid to try. Your new Kirsten looks brand new now!
Thank you everyone for your good wishes! I am on the road to recovery and healing nicely.
Hi Linda,
I’m so glad your knee is cooperating and I hope you will soon be up and back to dressing dollies and making your little vignettes!!
Kirsten’s new set will be on Ebay in just a few minutes!! I just love her and hope everyone else does too.
Thsnks Linda and Welcome Back!
Blessings ,Jeanne
Well done, Jeanne. I know it took me awhile to feel courageous enough to restring a Kirsten I did, but after watching numerous videos, blog postings, etc., I took the plunge and it wasn’t as scary as I first thought it would be. A hair dryer helps so much as do crimpers and possibly a hemostat that would help hold the strings during the process.
Your Kirsten looks great…I didn’t know about the shoulder tags and appreciate that bit of information. I can’t wait to see Kirsten in the new outfit!
Hi Becky
It really isn’t that scary and I watched a video last night where the lady just tied the elastic in knots and skipped using the brass inserts. I might try it that way sometime.
Kirsten’s new dress set should be on Ebay in just a few minutes…
Thanks for always being so encouraging with your comments, Becky!
Blessings, Jeanne
You did a great job and the pics are just enough info to give us courage to do it.
I hadn’t seen the copper pieces so hubby will love an excuse to go to Lowes 😉
Hemostats are s huge help and they are usually on eBay for a reasonable cost. I think I have about 9 but restring dolls all the time .
Looking forward to accessories for the pretty blue dress!
Hi Kathie,
My post called “Are you afraid to restring your American girl doll?” is one of my most popular posts…I wonder if this one will be too?
I hope it gives everyone just enough confidence to give it a try.
Yes…hemostats are wonderful and I use mine all the time for turning small bodices…
Thanks Kathie,
Blessings, Jeanne
Fun tutorial. I have quite a few AG’s that will also thank you. I was hoping that you would find that shoulder tag and you did. Yay. So, what size brass crimpers are needed? And what size elastic and how much? Is the elastic also from Home Depot? Maybe that was mentioned there somewhere, but I didn’t see. I know you said that she has a slight nose smudge. Have you ever tried very fine sandpaper? I’ve had it on my list to order some and try. I believe that the color on the AG’s is all the way through in the vinyl so you might be able to remove the smudge that way. Not the cheek smudge though as it would probably remove all of the cheek coloring. I personally have not tried it, but maybe you or someone else has?
Thanks for sharing the restringing. Fun.
HI Joy,
I wish I could tell you about the crimpers… they were just what my hubby gave me… just regular wire crimpers… I think they have different sizes that can be crimped.
The elastic? I can’t even remember where I got it, but it probably came from Lowe’s. I don’t think it came from Hobby Lobby or Joann’s. It’s about 3/8th’s of an inch thick….it’s pretty substantial. It takes about 6″ of elastic for each limb… to be able to tie a knot on both ends.
I’ll have to find out more specifically where and what I actually have.
I’ve heard of using the really find sand paper, but it’s just as easy for me to use Picasa and do it with a click of the mouse. Sometimes it’s not even noticeable, but I fixed the pictures of her face close up with Picasa and you can’t tell it. At least I can’t.
I’m glad you enjoyed the tutorial on the restringing. I need to do my other Kirsten but need to get a few other things done first.
Thanks Joy,
blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, it looks like you had fun with the project. I don’t think I could take a doll apart. When I got my Iplehouse BJD, I was taking her out of the box and her face came off. It does that so you can change the eyes but I didn’t know that. It was a bit unsettling though, probably for both of us (laugh).
Thanks for showing the doll’s tag. I did not know there was a tag that displayed the month and year of the doll. I have an Addy doll. I think I will just “ask” her when she was born so I don’t have to take her apart (chuckle).
My local doll club (UFDC chapter) does a doll show (sale) every year. I am busy collecting dolls for the raffle and door prize drawing. There is no rest in the Doll World, as you know (smile).
HI Dorothy,
I did enjoy doing it once I got started. I was just like everyone else… a little nervous to give it a try, but it wasn’t hard. I’ll be doing it again soon.
I need to restring Elin (Iplehouse) and she came with extra elastic but I’m a little nervous about her… she’s got lots of parts… feet, ankles, wrists, knees, etc… so I’m a little standoffish with her.
You’ll have to let us what Addy said when you asked her how old she was! :o)
I’d like to take my Felicity’s head off but the shoulder tag was only in 2000-2009 dolls and I’m pretty sure she’s older than that. But…if I ever do, I’ll be checking for it!
Dolly mommies never get to rest, do they??? :o)
Thanks Dorothy,
blessings, Jeanne
A job well done! You are definitely a woman with an adventurous spirit. It seems so simple when you show it, but I’ve never done more than re-stuff a stuffed animal that got wet. My 1950s era Ginny doll was redone before I got her. She walks and I don’t know how much difference that makes to re-stringing them but I thought it best left up to someone else.
Is the cord you used what you use to make your own bungee cords? Anything that has to do with hardware I, like you, have a go-to guy, for both tools and materials. I’ve always been around DIY people so I made sure I married one. I was a legal secretary and, with the exception of a very few, the people I worked with never did a thing they could pay someone else to do. My one lawyer said he had a handy book of phone numbers for help with any and all things. There is one decided advantage to that way of thinking. It got done in a timely manner. I still have things needing done around here that are just waiting on finding the round tuit. I actually had a hot pad that said Round Tuit, so I said there were no more excuses. I think someone threw it away.
I just completed cute little short sets for my 18″ MA and her little sis Camille. Next I’ll be working on another little girl outfit to put on Etsy. I need to get rid of some of my stash so I need to make a few bigger things. I made a real cute outfit for my granddaughter. I will send a picture of that when I send the picture of Gracie in her 4th of July outfit with the hat on.
HI Barbara,
I’m not so adventurous as you might think…it’s taken me all this time to restring a doll the right way… but now it’ll be easy peasy next time! :o)
I’m not sure where I even got my elastic cording at…but yes, it does feel like the cord used for bungee cords. It’s really substantial.
My “honey do list” is quite long too, but eventually it gets done. I wouldn’t trade my hubby for anything! :o)
Congrats on getting some dolly sewing done… I just got Kirsten’s dress set done and now it’s time to think of who will be next… hmmm???
Thanks Barbara.
Blessings, Jeanne
I know it’s really late, but I wanted to add what I use for my vinyl dolls. When they get a rub, like possibly the one on Kirstin’s nose, I’d use something called the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. It’s almost like a fine sandpaper Joy, but not quite as coarse. It will take face paint off a doll, so you can’t use it around any painted parts. I’ve even used it on my smaller Himstedt doll when she got a rub mark and it made the surface like new again. I’ve used it wet and dry, both. Didn’t seem to make a difference, although I tend to just use it dry now. You can get these at the grocery store. You’ll be glad you did!
Love and hugs, Ali
HI Ali,
I have some of those Magic Erasers and just might give this a try. It’s not real noticeable, but it would be nice if it were gone. She has a rub on the back of her leg, so I might try that first!
I hadn’t heard this…so thanks. I’ll let you know how it works!
I hope you are doing well, Ali,
Blessings, Jeanne
Your Kirsten’s is so pretty and the dress is gorgeous. I love the combo of the three prints which I have trouble doing, you always make it look easy. Thanks for the tutorial and making it sound easy. I am not a “collector” of AG dolls but purchased 6 loved ones for models. Three have loose strings though we a gentle nudge they will stand on their own. I think after reading your tutorial and watching the video I’ll give it a try. Good excuse for me and my grandson to go the the hardware store which he loves.
I used the Magic Eraser to kill all of them as they were loved and they look as good as new.
Grrr…that should say: I used the Magic Eraser to clean all of them….!